Loading and unloading apparatus.



EQA. SWIFT. LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1913. 1,164,143. Patented De0.14,1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1- um MM COLUMBIA PLANoaRAm-l COUWASHINGTON, D. c.

E. A. SWIFT.

LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.19I3.

1 ,1 64,143. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPH 60., wAsNniC-Tou, D. c.

E. A. SWIFT.

LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. I9I3I Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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EDWARD A. SWIFT, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARA'I'US.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDwARoA. SWIFT, a citizen. of the United States of America, and a-resi-dent'of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loading and Unloading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. A

My invention relates to apparatus" for loading. and unloading and hasfor its. primary aim to provide a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the operation of loading'and unloading may be carried on with great rapidity. i

Another object is to provide an apparatus which may be employed as'a-n elevator or a gangway connection between two landings.

Other objects will appear as my description progresses, and those features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts, on which I desire protection will be succinctly defined in my annexed claims;

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of my invention as applied to a wharf. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan, partly in section, of my invention as employed in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the adjustable landing and the mounting thereof. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the means employed to angularly adjust the elevator car. Fig. 6 is a transverse, vertical section of said means. Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the wharf disclosing the locking means em;- ployed to retain the approach of the wharf in a horizontal position. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a slightly modified construction of 'my invention, as applied to afloating support. Fig. 9' is atop plan view thereof. Fig- 10 is a front elevation with parts broken away, and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of a pawl employed in both forms of my invention forretaining the car at a determined elevation.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the wharf or dock provided with the usualopening or slip 2 for the gang plank, and 3 indicates the vessel to be loaded or unloaded.

' The frame 4 is secured in the. opening 2 for supporting car and landing 5 and '6, respectively.- The elevator car 5 is-mounted Specification oi 'letters Patent.

in the guides 7 of frame 4, and is suspended fromthe top 4- of the latter by cables 8 takmg over idler pulleys 9 and secured to balance weights 10, the latter being adapted to operate in the guides 11 of said frame, as

shown in Fig. 2. When conditions permit.

relative to the tide, car 5 is employed as a gang plank, the same being adapted for adjustment as'will now be explained. The bottom of the car is mounted in the shoe members 12 for pivotal movement, as at 13,"and, adjacent the four corners thereof, carries upstanding eyes let to which are fastened the terminals of adjusting cables 15.

Shaft 16 is'mounted in the upper end portions of shoes 12 for rotary movement, and

carries adjacent each bearing drums 17 whi ch, when rotated,'take in and pay out,

respectively, on each side thereof the cables l5 fo-r angularly adjusting the bottom of car 5, as is clearly disclosed in Fig. l. Ratchet wheel 18 is fixedly mounted-on shaft 16 between the forked terminals of lever 19, and

is adapted to be engaged by a respective pawl 20 for rotat1on in reverse directions. Pawls 20 are adapted for selective engagement with the ratchet through the instrumentality of retracting key21 and are yieldingly held into engagement with said ratchet by spring 22 connecting said pawls.

By oscillating lever 19, drums 17 are rotated in the direction for which pawls 20 are :set, and the car bottom is moved about its pivot to a desired inclination to serve the function of a gang plan-k. In the latter instance, the car connects the adjustable landing 6' with the Wharf 1. This landing is provided in a similar manner to car 5, with shoes operating in guides 23. The bottom'of the landing is stationary, relative to the shoes, and carries on its opposite end portions hinged sections 6 which are adapted to engage the boat 3 and car 5 to provide suitable connections therebetween. The sections 6 are limited in their downward movement by theabutti-ng stops 24. Car 5 is also provided with hinged end sections 0 which are supported by the abutting members 25 and adapted to engage ithe wharf and landing 6, when conditions require.

Cable 23 connects car with drum 27 The winch is driven by motor 33 and cont Patented Dec. 14, 1915. Application filed June 2, 1913. Serial No. 771,231.

" respective clutch.

prises said drums 27, 3:2 connected with their respective drive shafts 34, by clutches 36,

37, the drum 32i'eceiving its power through the transmission gearing 3S. After having started the motor, the car or ad ustable landing is elevated upon throwlng 1n the engagement by pawls a1, 4.2 to prevent backward rotation of said drums upon stopping the motor.

Band brakes it-3, 1% are pro- ,vided for governing the reverse action of ployed as an elevator, as shown in full lines .in Fig.1, in which instance landing 6 is positioned in-substautially the plane of the ideck of the boat and through the operation of the winch said 0: r, after receiving itsload from the boat over said landing, is elevated to the plane of the wharf.

In the opening 2 of Wharf 1 is hingedly mounted the approach 45, normally supported in its inclined position by stop 46,

and adapted to bedis posed and retained in -a horizontalposition, when desired, by a slidably mounted bolt 47 engaging there- 1 beneath, (see F1 7 This approach projects into the path of car 5 and engages the latter when elevated to make a suitable connection therebetween.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the supporting frame 50 is mounted on a floating body 51. The frame 50 comprises vertical guides 52, centrally disposed and spaced to receive therebetween the car 53. This car or platform is mounted for pivotal movement on its shoes 54, and the latter are slidably mounted in guides 52 whereby the platform is capable of vertical movement. Theplatform is provided with balance weights 55, the same being connected therewith by cables 56 taking over pulleys 57 and operating in the guides 58.

Cables 59 take over idlers 60, 60', and 60 for connecting the four corners of the platform with the drums 61 of winch 62. The cables secured to one end portion of the platform engage about one drum while those secured to the opposite end portion engage about the other drum, said drums being mounted for independent movement. Clutches 63 serve to connect the drums to the power shaft for elevating the platform. As in the first mentioned embodiment of my invention, the drums are provided with band brakes 43, 4:4 and ratchets 39, 40, the latter being engaged by pawls 41/ 42'. 7 Adjustable landings 64: are disposed at each end of the platform and in the path of movement of the hinged end sections 53 of the latter. Each landing carries a hinged cured to shoes 65 and take oversheaves 68 Ratchet wheels 39, l0' are carried by the drums and. adaptedv for end section 64 disposed in the path of travel of the platform, andon each side edge por-- tion are provided the shoes 65'whi'ch receive the vertical guides 66. Cables 67 are seto engage about the windlass 69, 'one of which is "provided for each landing 64. Ap

proaches 7 Oare temporarily secured to the outer end portions of the landings to make e tion between the latter and the Wharf 1. and boat3;v 1 g V In use, the landiiigs tiei are adjusted for a suitable connection between the wharf andthe boat and then'upon startingttheniotor 71, the platform or car 58 may be adjusted to make connection between the spaced landings.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesof America, is

l. In apparatus'of the characterdescribed,;

in' combination, spaced landings, an elevator for brldgmgthe space hetween said land mgs, means for ad ustlng the angular position of said elevator with respect to said landings, means for securing said elevator in adjusted position,;and means for raising and lowering said elevator relatively to both 1 of said landings. J r

In apparatus of the character described, in combination, spaced landings, vertically disposed guides, shoesslidably engaged with said guides, an elevator pivotally connected;

with said shoes and adapted to bridge the space between said landings, and means for.

raising and lowering said-"shoes and ele- "VitllOIZ a 3. In apparatus of the character described;

spaced landings, an elevator interposed therebetween, vertical guides for said elevator, means for ad usting the angular 1nclmat on of saldelevator on said guides to 4. Inapparatus of thecharacterdescribed,

in combination, spaced landings, vertically dlsposed gu des, an elevator. for. brldging the space between sald land1ngs,'shoes SllCling upon said guides, said car being pivoted in said shoes, and means for adjusting the angular position of said car with respect to,

said guides; I j l 5. In apparatusof the characterdescrlbed,

spaced landings,'verticalguides, an elevator for bridging the space between said landings, means movable on sald guldes for mounting the elevator for positive angular 7 adjustment about ahorizontala'Xis, and

means for moving the elevator between the;

landings. v

6. In apparatus of character described,

in combination, spaced fixed landings, vertical guides, an; elevator: slidably mounted means for connecting said elevators to said landings. V

7. In apparatus of the character described,

in combination, vertically disposed guide means, shoes slidably engaged therewith, an elevator mounted on the shoes for tilting movement about a' horizontal axis, other vertical guide means, a second elevatorarranged at the side of the path of the first elevator, and mounted on the last named guide means for vertical movement.

8. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, vertically disposed guides, shoes slidably engaged therewith, an cleva tor mounted on the shoes for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, and approach section hinged to the elevator, and a landing arranged in the path of the approach section. V

9. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, vertically disposed guides, shoes slidably engaged therewith, an elevator mounted on said shoes for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, an approach section hinged to the elevator, and a landing arranged in the path of the approach section, the latter being adapted to yield to permit of the elevator passing the landing.

10. In apparatus of the character de- 7 scribed, in combination, spaced landings, an

elevator adapted to bridge the space therebetween, vertical guides, shoes slidably engaged therewith, said elevator being pivotally mounted upon said shoes to turn about a horizontal axis, a flexible member secured'to said elevator at opposite sides of said pivot and passing about a winding drum, said drum being slidably mounted upon said vertical guides and held in fixed between, vertical guides,

spaced relation to said shoes, and means for turning said drum, whereby said elevator may be adjusted in angular relation to said guides. V

11. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, spaced landings, an

elevator adapted to bridge the space thereshoes slidably engaged therewith, said elevator being mount ed upon said shoes for turning about a horizontal axis, a drum mounted upon said shoes above said elevator, a flexible member secured to said elevator at opposite sides of said pivot axis, and having its center portion wound about said drum, means for turning said drum, whereby said elevator may be adjusted in angular position with respect to said guides, and means for securing said elevator in adjusted position.

12. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, an elevator constrained to vertical movements within a fixed path, a landing at each side of said elevator, and aprons, each hinged to one of said parts and bridging the space between it and the other, and stops limiting the dropping of said aprons to an angle at which its outer edge still overhangs the adjacent edge of the other part.

13; In apparatus of the character described, in combination, an elevator having a pivotal support, means for giving said pivotal support vertical movement, means for adjusting said elevator about its pivot axis, a landing adjacent each swinging edge of said elevator, and aprons adapted to bridge the space between the elevator and the landings and pivoted upon one thereof, and means limiting the angle of drop of said aprons to maintain their outer edges overhanging the other part.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 27th day of May, 1913.

EDWARD A. SWIFT. \Vitnesses E. ARLITA ADAMS, CLARA A. HARM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

